Ministry of Health requests clarification on the case of 38 students of Tue Duc School suspected of food poisoning

Regarding the incident of 38 students of Tue Duc Primary and Secondary School (Tue Duc School, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City) suspected of food poisoning, on March 28, the Department of Food Safety, Ministry of Health issued a document directing the Department of Food Safety of Ho Chi Minh City to urgently investigate, handle and trace the origin of related food.

According to initial reports, after the meal at school, many students showed symptoms such as nausea, stomachache, and diarrhea. The meal at school was provided by Haxeca Mekong International Joint Stock Company.

The Food Safety Department determined that the suspected poisoning cases occurred at the same time and used the same food group, so a thorough investigation is needed. The Department requires tracing the origin of the food, identifying the unit supplying the ingredients and processing the suspected meal; taking food samples and specimens for testing to clarify the cause; temporarily suspending the processing facility if there is a risk of further poisoning; strictly handling food safety violations and publicizing the results to warn the community.

The Food Safety Department recommends strengthening management at collective kitchens and ready-to-eat meal providers; requiring strict control of raw materials, processing and transportation procedures, implementation of three-step food inspection and sample storage according to regulations.

According to a report from Tue Duc Primary and Secondary School, on the morning of March 26, the homeroom teacher of class 1P6 received information from parents about two students showing symptoms of nausea and diarrhea, and were taken to the hospital and diagnosed with suspected food poisoning.

After breakfast that same day, the school recorded two more students with similar symptoms. One was diagnosed with food poisoning, the other had a stomachache since the evening of March 25.

At noon of the same day, the school's Board of Directors held an urgent meeting with relevant departments and compiled a list of 38 students showing signs of suspected poisoning, including 5 cases of physiological abdominal pain.

The school has taken food samples and sent them to the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City for testing, and has notified parents to coordinate in monitoring the health of students. As of 4 p.m. on March 26, the school has not had any additional suspected cases of food poisoning, and the health of the students has stabilized.

The Department of Education and Training of Thu Duc City came to work, inspected the kitchen, records and preparation process. Through the inspection, the unit providing meals ensured hygiene, staff had protection, kept food samples and updated the food inspection book according to regulations.

Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety said it is coordinating with relevant units to verify the cause and will strictly handle any violations.

Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety requested the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Training of Thu Duc City to provide specific reports. However, because Tue Duc Primary and Secondary School has not yet provided a complete report, it cannot be concluded that this is a food poisoning case./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/bo-y-te-yeu-cau-lam-ro-vu-38-hoc-sinh-truong-tue-duc-bi-nghi-ngo-doc-thuc-pham-post1023401.vnp